Hello Portishead FORUM.

My name is Joe Volk, and I work for an organisation in Bristol called The Malawi Education project. Portishead are friends of the project, and have very kindly offered us some signed merchandise to auction off on the night. There are loads of other great prizes on offer. I've included a full list and description of the event below. This is a very rare chance to get your hands on some signed Portishead goodies, and it's all for a very worthwhile cause... Do you live in Bristol? If so, come! Do come, yes.

"The Malawi Education Project will be holding a music themed ‘Silent Auction’ at The Croft on Wednesday 27th May to raise us some much needed funds. Everyone who comes will be given their own secret number, which they then use to bid on the prizes dotted around the venue. Keep an eye on the prizes you’re interested in, mind. Otherwise someone might out bid you, and if they have, out bid them back, and hard at it.

Some of the prizes on offer here are really rather special in our humble opinion… And do remember inside of your brain that many of them can be bought at a steal, and some are simply not available to buy anywhere else EVER, so please come down and bring as many of your friends as possible, and get bidding after you have drunk enough alcohol to spend more money than you know you can really afford to, but for a good cause. Oh and get your friends to tell their friends too. Thanks.

Read through this list carefully.

There will be a small fee to GET IN.

Some prizes available on the night will include;

• Exclusive signed STUFF from Portishead.

• A signed Melvins poster.

• A customised Electro Harmonix ‘Big Muff Pi’ pedal. Only 100 ever made as an exclusive for Mogwai!

• Where it should say ‘Big Muff’ on the pedal, it says ‘Mogwai’. Also signed by the band. One love.

• Signed records from Julian Cope.

• A pair of tickets for the Secret Garden Party festival.

• An annual guest list for two to all Bedlam Drum n’ Bass nights for a year.

• A selection of albums for your pleasure from the boys at Qu Junktion.

• A selection of releases and various other things from our friends at Invada records.

• An annual subscription to Venue magazine.

• A bottle of whiskey, courtesy of The Croft!

• A Shambala family festival ticket.

• A pair of tickets to Glade Festival.

• A vocal studio recording session from Bellatrax.

• A signed, framed album cover from Dreadzone.

• Exclusive prizes from Roni Size, Hybrid and Timo Maas.

• Two tickets to see Gong play at the academy on 19th November 2009

• A hot tub for six at Shambala festival, and a bottle of Champagne.

• Two tickets to see the ‘Easy Star All Stars’ play in Bristol in October, as well as a copy of their album.

• T-Shirts and CD’s from C-Froo.

• 2 tickets to ANY GIG at The Louisiana.

• Half a day’s recording session at State of Art studios, Bristol.

• Joe Volk playing a gig in your house and probably using your toilet.

• A load of free tickets to loads of events at The Croft.

• A session of press/band shots by Venue magazine freelance music photographer, Duchess Photographic.

• A ticket to see ALL shows put on by Deadpunk promotions for the next year!

• 2 x tickets to see The King Blues @ The Fiddlers on 2nd October, as well as a copy of their album.

• 2 x guestlist places to see The Bays on 1 June at the Komedia in Bath, as part of the Bath Festival.

• A pair of tickets to Beautiful Days festival..."

Hope to see some of you down there if you're Bristol.

Best,

JV

www.malawieducationproject.com